What Is Happiness ( for editing )

The coming to consciousness is not a discovery of some new thing; it is a long and painful return to what always has been – Helen Luke

What is happiness? How do you find happiness? How can you be happy?

Before I became a Buddhist, the concept of happiness was very difficult for me to grasp. I was depressed for most of my life. My existence was suffering. There was a time when I would just sleep all day. I would sleep in my parents’ big bed and hide under the pillows. There were times when I would binge or times when I would starve myself. Life had become suffering. Breathing became a chore.

When I became a Buddhist it was hard for me to accept the concept of happiness. The Buddhists’ goal is for ultimate happiness. And it was totally against my nature to seek for happiness. All I knew was suffering, sadness and depression. The concept of happiness was new to me. I never felt that I deserved to be happy.

But during my steady but difficult practice, I became acquainted with happiness and joy. There were times when I would experience joy and bliss that was not coming from outside of myself but coming from inside of myself. It’s that unexplainable feeling of complete and utter joy that emanates from inside of you. It’s an energy that flows inside of your body and radiates outward. I can’t explain it. But I know it and remember that feeling. It’s a fleeting sensation that somehow has lasting effects.

My path towards self-realization and happiness has not been an easy one. I experienced utter joy and happiness